Light bar providing illumination from inside a vehicle

ABSTRACT

A light bar contains one or more rows of light-emitting diodes (LED&#39;s) in a housing which extends across substantially the entire width of a windshield of a vehicle and is narrow in width to minimize interference with visibility through the windshield. The housing has an interior forming a channel with a throat; the throat acting as a hood which directs the illumination out of the windshield and minimizes stray light. The LED&#39;s are arranged in banks generally symmetrically arrayed about the center of the length of the housing. Two of the banks, preferably equidistant from the center, are tilted in opposite directions to each other so as to project light toward the right side and left side of the vehicle. The LED&#39;s may be illuminated continuously or in selected sequence, as established by the user with a switch on the housing. Attached to the housing in a separate compartment is another bank of LED&#39;s which may direct light inside the vehicle for use as a dome or map light. A mechanism is provided for displacing and tilting the housing and may use pivotal arms attached to the end of the housing or adjustable Z-shaped hangers attached preferably to clamps such as visor clips already on the vehicle.

The present invention relates to light bars providing illumination fromthe inside of the vehicle through a window, such as the windshield ofthe vehicle, whereby the illumination provides signaling or warningfunctions. More particularly, the light bar provided by the inventioncontains light emitting diodes (LED's) arrayed and contained so as tominimize interference with visibility through a window via which lightfrom the LED's projects, such light being projectable over a wide angle,as from the right to left sides of a vehicle.

Light sources mounted inside a vehicle have heretofore been proposed.See for example, Nock, U.S. Pat. No. 1,674,340, issued Jun. 19, 1928;Gillespie, U.S. Pat. No. 2,017,798, issued Oct. 15, 1935; Annas, U.S.Pat. No. 3,665,392, issued May 23, 1972; Serizawa, U.S. Pat. No.4,733,335, issued May 28, 1988; Lipman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,363, issuedJan. 1, 1991; Kondo, U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,401, issued Mar. 24, 1992;Pederson, U.S. Pat. No. 6,461,008, issued Oct. 8, 2002 (FIGS. 13 and 14thereof); and Strickland, U.S. Pat. No. 6,511,216, issued Jan. 28, 2003.

LED's have been used in brake or collision lights which are adapted tobe located in the vicinity of the rear window of a vehicle. SeeSerizawa, U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,335 (noted above); Machida, U.S. Pat. No.5,050,051, issued Sep. 17, 1991; Bartilluci, U.S. Pat. No. 5,663,707,issued Sep. 2, 1997; Matsumura, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 314,244, issued Jan.29, 1991; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 315,218, issued Mar. 5, 1991; and Lee, U.S.Pat. No. D447,825, issued Sep. 11, 2001. In U.S. patent application Ser.No. ______, filed in the name of Steven Neufeglise, having priority toU.S. Provisional Application No. 60/375,385, filed Apr. 25, 2002, andassigned to the same assignee as this application, various inside lightbars are disclosed which are adapted to be adjustably positioned againstthe windshield so as to minimize stray illumination.

Notwithstanding the efforts manifested by the above-referenceddocuments, a practical interior light bar has not been made commerciallyavailable. A practical interior light bar capable of producingillumination approaching that provided by external light bars, usuallymounted on the top of the roof of the vehicle, is provided by thisinvention.

Further features of the present invention are to provide an improvedinterior light bar containing LED's which can extend substantiallyacross the entire width of a window of a vehicle, especially thewindshield thereof, and which:

a) can provide wide-angle illumination from the right to left sides ofthe vehicle as well as straight ahead;

b) is sufficiently small to avoid interference with visibility throughthe window or windshield;

c) contains the LED's in a manner to avoid stray light, as in a housingwhich acts as a hood; and is adjustable vertically and angularly so asto be held in proximity to the windshield or window at a desiredposition, which may be near the top of the windshield; and

d) is user controllable to provide different sequences of illumination,such as constant and flashing, which flashing may be of differentcolors, such as red, blue and amber and in selected sequence suitablefor warning applications.

Briefly described, a light bar in accordance with the invention providesillumination from inside a vehicle through a window thereof, especiallythe windshield. The light bar has a width extending laterally acrosssubstantially the entire window and a narrow height. The light barcontains a plurality of LED's in one or more rows arrayed substantiallyacross the entire width of the window in a housing defining a channelhaving a throat, which directs illumination from the rows of LED's in abeam restricted or hooded by the throat. The beam extends through thewindow. The LED's may be in banks on opposite sides of the center of thewindow. At least a pair of these banks, which are preferably symmetricalwith respect to the center of the housing, are tilted in oppositedirections so as to direct illumination therefrom in a wide angle whichextends between the right and left sides of the vehicle. Arms or hangersadjustably mount the housing so as to provide vertical displacement andtilting about a horizontal axis so as to locate the throat in proximityto the window and aim the illumination projected through the window.Circuitry connected to the LED's energizes the banks to selectivelyprovide continuous light or flashing illumination from the banks insequences as selected by the user.

The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of theinvention will become more apparent from a reading of the followingdescription in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a vehicle showing a light bar provided by theinvention mounted therein and illustrating the narrow height of thelight bar so that it occupies a space between the visors and the top ofthe windshield of the vehicle (or the ceiling, or overhead of thevehicle's passenger compartment);

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view from the inside of the vehicle through thewindshield and showing the light bar illustrated in FIG. 1 from the rearthereof;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view from the front of the light bar illustratedin FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the light bar shown in FIG. 3 from therear;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view in perspective of the light bar of FIGS. 1and 2 taken from the front;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the vehicle showing the light bar of FIGS. 1and 2 and how it is suspended on a mechanism attached to the windshield;

FIG. 7 is an expanded view of the side of the light bar illustrating themechanism shown in FIG. 6 for attaching the light bar to the windshield;

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of the light bar shown in theprevious figures tilted downwardly to show the top of the housingthereof and also front views of adjustable hangers for attaching thelight bar to the inside of the vehicle;

FIG. 9 is a sectional plan view taken along line 9-9 in FIG. 8 so thatthe top or cover of the housing is not shown;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the light bar shown in FIGS. 8 and 9taken from the rear;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of the light bar shown in FIG.10 taken from the right side;

FIG. 12 is an exploded view of the light bar shown in FIGS. 10 and 11taken from the front illustrating the banks of LED's and optics in theform of lens assemblies assembled with the banks of LED's at the lightprojecting ends thereof;

FIG. 12 a is a fragmentary end view illustrating how the hanger of thelight bar of the present invention is attached to visor clips on theinside of the vehicle above the windshield thereof;

FIG. 13 is an electrical circuit diagram schematically illustrating thecircuitry of the LED's but simplified to show only three banks of LED'seach having a single row of LED's; and

FIGS. 13 a and 13 b are schematic diagrams of the banks of LED's whichare connectable to the outputs of the flasher circuit shown in FIG. 13to illustrate that the banks may have two or three rows of LED's.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2, 6 and 7 of the drawings,there is shown a passenger car type vehicle 10 having a windshield 12.Vehicle sun visors 14 are attached in the conventional way to thevehicle body near the roof of the passenger compartment above thewindshield 12 by mounting brackets 17 via rods 15 (see FIG. 12 a). FIG.12 a best show rods 15 mounted to brackets 17 in which visors 14 canpivot with the rods 15. Visor clips 13 are mounted to the roof inside ofthe vehicle. The clips 13 grasp the inside edges 19 of the visors 14. Arearview mirror 16 is attached to the windshield 12 and located betweenthe visors 14.

A light bar 18 provided by the invention is a narrow structure,sufficiently narrow to fit between the visors 14, when in theirhorizontal or up position, and the roof of the passenger compartment.The light bar 18 has one or more rows of LED's 24, two rows beingillustrated in FIGS. 3-5. A housing 26 containing the rows, the housingis shown in detail in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 6 and 7, the ends 56 of the housing 26 areconnected to light bar mounts 28. The mounts 28 include pads 32 cementedto the windshield 12, much like the pads to which the rearview mirror 16is connected. The mounts 28 include arms 30 which are pivotallyconnected to posts extending from the pads 32 and also to journals orpivots 34 in the ends of the housing 26, as best shown in FIG. 7. Thesejournals or pivots 34 have significant friction so as to maintain thearms 30 in the position to which they are pivoted. The arms 30 allow thelight bar 18 to be raised and lowered (displaced vertically) and to betilted so as to project the illumination in the desired directionthrough the windshield 12.

FIG. 2 shows three buttons 36 which project from switches 39 on the backwall 40 of the bottom 38 of the housing 26. A small housing 42 mountedunder the bottom wall 38 or on the back wall 40 of the housing maycontain several LED's or other light source(s) which provide interiorillumination and function as a dome or map light. See also FIG. 7.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, more particularly, there is shown thehousing 26, which is made up of the bottom 38 and a top cover 48 whichmay be attached by screws 50 to thread holes in blocks 52, also servingas spacers, to the bottom 38. The bottom also provides the ends 56 ofthe housing 26.

The housing 26 is constructed of plates or sheets of flexible materialby virtue of their thickness and also by virtue of the use of plastic,such as polycarbonate or PVC materials for the plates. Such materialprovides some flexibility and resilience against the inside of thewindshield. However, it may be desirable to use a rubber gasket 60attached to the outside surface of the bottom 38, if desired (see FIG.11 and FIG. 12 a).

The top 48 and bottom 38 of the housing 26 define a channel 37 having athroat 41. The LED's 24 are arranged in banks 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, and 72and project from circuit boards 74 which are attached to the mountingblocks 52. More or fewer LED banks may be provided and additional bankshown at 76 in FIG. 12 may be mounted between banks 66 and 68 andbisected by the center of the light bar. This center may be a planeperpendicular to the base 38 and cover 48, centrally between the ends 56of the bottom 38.

The mounts 28 (FIGS. 6 and 7) also position the open end or throat 41 ofthe light bar 18 in proximity to the windshield 12 as best shown in FIG.7.

The banks are preferably symmetrically disposed about the center of thehousing 26. It is a significant feature of the invention to providewide-angle illumination towards the left and right sides of the vehicle10 as well as straight ahead. The banks 62, 66, 68 and 72 face aheadthrough the throat 41. The banks 64 and 70 are tilted in oppositedirections so as to project illumination towards the right and leftsides of the vehicle. The end banks 62 and 72 may be displaced rearwardof the forward arrays 66 and 68. The tilted banks 64 and 70 are at suchangles as to connect the ends of the banks 62 and 66, and 68 and 70,respectively. All LED's have an optical axis which point outwardlythrough the throat 39 and may be mounted perpendicularly to the plane ofthe base 38 and cover 48.

A plug 80, which may be received in an accessory or cigarette lightersocket, provides power to the LED's 24 through a helical electrical cord82. Internally of the housing and preferably mounted on the bottom 38 isa box containing a flasher circuit 84 which is also shown in theschematic diagram (FIG. 13).

Another important feature of the invention is that the banks of LED'sare in the channel behind the front edges 86 and 88 of the top 48 andbottom 38 (FIG. 3). The throat 39 therefore directs the illuminationfrom the LED's outwardly through the windshield and reduces stray light.In other words, the throat acts as a hood for the LED's 24.

Referring to FIGS. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 12 a, there is shown a lightbar 100 which has a housing of design similar to the light bar 18 andlike parts are identified with like reference numerals to those used inconnection with FIGS. 1-7. The improvements in the design are apparentfrom the figures showing the light bar 100. Specifically, the banks aremounted on a bar 104 which defines the angle or tilt of the banks 62-72.This bar may also serve as a spacer and receive the screws 50 forattaching the cover 48 to the bottom 38.

The light projecting ends of the LED's in each bank are assembled withits own lens array 63, 65, 67, 71, 73, 75, and 77. The lens arrays aretransparent plates 101 which carry lenses in barrels 103 which fit overthe ends of the LED's in their respective banks.

Another improvement is the mountings 128, which like the mountings 28provide for vertical and angular adjustment. These mountings are hangershaving slotted (forked) ends 130 and overlapping segments 132 and 134which are clamped together by screws extending through a slot 136 in atleast one of the sections 132. This slot allows for vertical adjustmentup and down of the light bar 100 and the forked ends 130 allow foradjustment toward and away from the windshield of the light bar. Theends 130 and the overlapping segments 132 and 134 define a Z-shapedstructure with the center leg of the Z (provided by the segments 132 and134) inclined at an angle so as to provide fine adjustment toward andaway from the windshield (vertically) as the segments are moved towardeach other along the slot 136. The upper fork 130 is adapted to fitbetween the clip 13, which holds the visor, and the roof of the vehiclewhere the clip 13 is attached thereto. The clip 13 then serves a dualfunction of mounting the visor as well as the light bar.

Referring to FIGS. 13, 13 a and 13 b, there is shown the power cordconnected through one of the switches 39 to a flasher circuit 84 havingtwo outputs, output one to the LED banks 62, 64 and 66 (FIGS. 3 and 5)on one side of the center of the light bar, and output two to the LEDarrays 68, 70, and 72 on the opposite side. A switch 39 selects thepattern or sequence of flashing of the LED banks. Another switchcontrols LED's in the map/dome light 42. The LED's in the symmetricallydisposed banks 62, 64, 66, and 68, 70, 72 may be of different color,such as red, white and blue. The flasher circuit 84 may include amicroprocessor which upon each depression of the pattern selectionswitch 39 provides a different sequence of flashing from constant tovarious combinations as may be selected by the user by executing a cycleof closures of the pattern selection switch 39.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that there has beenprovided an improved interior light bar. Variations and modifications inthe herein disclosed light bar and various aspects thereof, within thescope of the invention, will undoubtedly become apparent to thoseskilled in the art. Accordingly, the foregoing description should betaken as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

1. A light bar providing illumination from inside a vehicle, through awindow of the vehicle, said window being of a width extending laterallyacross the window, said window being of a height extending from bottomto top of the window, said light bar comprising a plurality of lightemitting diodes (LED's) in at least one row of length correspondingsubstantially to the width of said window, a housing defining a channelcontaining said row of LED's, said channel having a throat which directsillumination from said row of LED's in a beam restricted by said throatthrough said window.
 2. The light bar according to claim 1 wherein saidwindow is a windshield of said vehicle and said housing being disposedimmediately adjacent the top of said windshield.
 3. The light baraccording to claim 2 wherein said windshield is guarded by visorsextending laterally in a direction across the width of said windshieldand being movable between a position generally perpendicular togenerally paralleling said windshield, said light bar housing beingsufficiently narrow to fit between said visors and top of said window.4-12. (canceled)
 13. The light bar according to claim 1 wherein saidhousing has upper and lower walls closed at opposite ends, said wallsdefining said channel and said throat thereof and a back between saidwalls and ends.
 14. The light bar according to claim 13 wherein a lightsource is attached to a lower one of said walls for projecting light forselective illumination inside said vehicle. 15-19. (canceled)
 20. Thelight bar according to claim 13 wherein said walls have edges definingwhere said throat opens, said LED's being disposed inwardly of saidedges.
 21. The light bar according to claim 1 wherein said LED's are inrows selected from the group consisting of a single row, two parallelrows and three parallel rows.
 22. The light bar according to claim 1wherein said LED's are provided in banks constituting said row or aplurality of rows of LED's. 23-31. (canceled)
 32. A light bar providingillumination from inside a vehicle through a window thereof having awidth and height, comprising a housing defining a channel extendinglaterally, said channel having an elongated throat, a plurality of banksof LED's each having one or more rows of height less than said channeldisposed in said housing facing said throat, at least one of said banksbeing oriented to project illumination in a different direction throughsaid window than others of said banks.
 33. (canceled)
 34. The light baraccording to claim 32 wherein the color of illumination from certain ofsaid banks is different from the color of illumination from other ofsaid banks.
 35. The light bar according to claim 32 wherein first andsecond pluralities of said banks are disposed about a region centrallyof said housing.
 36. The light bar according to claim 35 wherein thedisposition of said banks is generally symmetrically about saidcentrally disposed region.
 37. The light bar according to claim 36wherein two of said symmetrically disposed banks are tilted angularlywith respect to each other away from said window to project illuminationin directions angularly corresponding to the tilt thereof.
 38. The lightbar according to claim 37 wherein said banks disposed between saidtilted banks are oriented generally in the same direction to projectillumination in the same general direction out through said window. 39.The light bar according to claim 32 further comprising means forenergizing said banks to selectively provide continuous and differentsequences of flashing illumination.
 40. The light bar according to claim32 further comprising optics attached to said banks for each LED thereoffor focusing illumination provided from said banks.
 41. The light baraccording to claim 40 wherein said optics represent separate plates oftransparent material carrying lenses disposed on the LED's of each bank.42. A light bar mountable in the interior of a vehicle comprising: ahousing extending substantially across a window of said vehicle having aplurality of LED's for projecting light through said window in whichsaid LED's are oriented to project said light in different directions;said housing being sufficiently narrow to be located adjacent the top ofsaid window without substantial obstruction of view through said window;and means for energizing said LED's to provide one or more patterns ofthe light from said LED's.
 43. A method for providing an interior lightbar for a vehicle, having a windshield comprising the steps of:providing a light bar much narrower than said windshield in height, saidbar having LED's for projecting light in different directions; andattaching said light bar between the roof and visors of the vehicle todirect light from said light bar out of the windshield of the vehicle.44. (canceled)
 45. A light bar providing illumination from inside avehicle, through a window of the vehicle, said light bar comprising aplurality of light emitting diodes (LED's) in at least one row, ahousing containing said row of LED's, illumination from said row ofLED's being projectable through said window, and wherein said housinghas at least one wall and opposite ends, and a back along said wall andbetween said ends, and wherein said wall and ends are plates of flexiblematerial.
 46. A light bar providing illumination from inside a vehicle,through a window of the vehicle, said light bar comprising a pluralityof light emitting diodes (LED's) in at least one row, a housingcontaining said row of LED's, illumination from said row of LED's beingprojectable through said window, and at least one member for adjustablymounting said housing with respect to said window.